Tank Chats #89 | Universal Carrier | The Tank Museum 

1:38 "Except that without an engine of course the thing's absolutely useless" Another Fletcherism to throw at my friends.

Fletch has spoken. All other opinions on the subject matter are now null & void

Farmers around my home town bought these universal carriers as war surplus. They used them as tractors and general utility vehicles on boggy ground. Then I guess in the 60s and 70s they dumped them as they broke down and better 4X4s became available. Then in the 90s and 00's collectors dug them out of the swamps and started to restore them. It would be interesting to know the price of this vehicle when it was first produced, its price as war surplus and its price today as a restored running vehicle.

David Fletcher drives to work in a Universal Carrier. He needed something heavy enough to carry his mustache.

I want David Fletcher to tuck me in at night and read me bedtime stories of WW2 AFVs.

I love these things; Are they any good at fighting? Nah Are they powerful? Nah Can they traverse anything? Nah So what do they do? *anything!* Carry stuff, pull stuff, transport people, brew tea, transport stuff, It's like giving a soldier a crowbar It's not a weapon, but ain't nobody is gonna complain about having a crowbar!

My favourite variant was used by the NZ division. What you did was loot an automatic 20mm cannon from a crashed plane and attach it to the carrier.

My father spent his entire war in one. Across North Africa, Italy, Normandy, through Western Europe and into Germany. He loved it. Beats walking!

'Armoured vehicles need engines.' Cheers Fletch.

When I was about 8 or 9 years old my parents owned a petrol station and there was one of these in a paddock beside it. One day some army blokes came and worked it and actually got it going. A lot of the kids in the area had a ride. One of my best childhood memories.

Now I know what I can wish for christmas. A cute little Universal Carrier.

' and also in Canada .... which is another country.....' greatness

All across Canada, you'll see these vehicles parked out in from of Legion branches and armouries as a static display commemorating WW2.

I consider them as more capable Jeeps rather then direct armored vehicles.

Rommel mentioned in his memoirs the advantage the British infantry had over the Axis, by the fact that it was heavily mechanized*. Even if they had to give up their positions they could retreat withou heavy losses, thanks to such vehicles as this one. *or at least motorized

I can't believe 222,000 people forgot to like this. I absolutely love your presentation. Laid back and proffesional with a good sense of humor.

"They didn't *like* them, but they used them."

I want a David Fletcher miniature figurine to put next to things in need of explanations! Would also look quite nice next to model tanks.

“We gave a lot to the Russians; God knows what they made of them.”

My great uncle went to war in a bren gun carrier in the BEF aged 18. He had to leave it at Dunkirk and swim for it. Then fought The Africa corp in in his universal carrier in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya. Then Anzio and up through italy, before being returned to Britain to take part in the D-day landings. His war was ended when he was killed by machine gun fire from the SS panzer corp on the outskirts of Bayeux. Great vehicle for flanking gun positions, trenches and even armoured units.

The universal always struck me as basically an armored jeep, so incredibly versatile like the jeep but now armored up and tracked

David once again makes my day! Not to get into specifics (I'm in a bad way medically/physically), but every time I listen to this man talk I just feel better. I don't know what it is, but I just feel like everything is going to be OK. Thanks, David! I hope things are going better for you than they are for me! ;) Btw, if I may speak on behalf of everyone here, I hope he knows he's well liked (well, more than that, really!). I gather that he might not go in for all of this "high tech nonsense", but in my opinion that just accentuates his charm. While I also have the feeling that he might not "get it", I at least hope he appreciates it on some level. I wonder if he tells the boys down at the pub about how he's a big RU-vid star now... ;) Anyway, thank you so much for having him be part of the whole team (you're all great,too!). I always love what he has to say and the depth of his knowledge just astounds me sometimes. Here's to many more years of Tank Chats with David Fletcher! :D

I met a New Zealand farmer who had several as work vehicles. It was common there into the late1960s. No better advertisement, farmers are totally pragmatic and don't use junk that loses them money.

The god of all Tanks and various other armoured fighting vehicles has spoken

I totally love Mister Fletcher's tank chats! Not only they are very informative, but I must admit I also use them as a means to relax. His voice, together with the soft hum of the airco in the background are a recipe for inner peace... thank you, Mister David Fletcher!

I was privileged to spend some days with Sidney Jary. During this we discussed the use of the "bren Carrier" by the infantry. typically it carried their Kit- Large pack equivalent, resupplied ammunition, ferried hot food forward- even in contact, and removed casualties to company aid post . It enabled the infantry to fight more effectively. It was very reliable and they felt they couldn't function without it. Sidney was a wonderful man by the way.

"They were not supposed to pull AT-Guns but they did." So the carrier and the 6 pounder combo was not approved of? Thanks God rules are meant to be broken.

a bunch of Aussies in Carriers charging across a field with guns blazing.......yes Aussies loved them

David Fletcher... what a gent.. a star! Thank you sharing all your incredible knowledge.. captivating!!!

Imagine if David Fletcher built a tank..... could we even stop him if he built such a weapon?

When your alternative is walking, anything will do.

As a former infantry soldier, I like the thing. Anything to save my knees is useful. Even today they are talking about cumbersome exoskeletons to help carry loads... when they could just bring this thing back, and save their backs.

Maybe Mr. Fletcher could do an audio book reading for The Chieftain's book.

this guy is one of the best personalities on youtube.i feel like i have an old British uncle who works at a tank museum.

I see mustache, I click video. It is my purpose.

My father drove one of these for the 2nd Btn of the Monmouthshire Regiment who went over to France about 10 days after D-Day I think. They got as far as Antwerp when he was shot through the arm and was on a DC-3 back to Blighty the very same day. Subsequently the regiment took massive casualties in supporting the Americans during the Battle of the Bulge. All officers and most of the NCOs were killed and not many returned home at all. Lest we forget !

Sir David:"If you find that you like t.." Me at the top of my voice: "YES I DO DAVID, YES I DO!" Other passengers on the train: :-/

Thank you Mr David Fletcher.. Your efforts are appreciated by many.

Australia and New Zealand both made universal carriers as well

My dad was a WW2 D-Day and European Campaign veteran. He was in charge of 2x Universal Carriers each carrying a 3-inch mortar. I think there were 11 guys in his crew.

The universal carrier was a war winning machine. Why? Logistics!

Fabulous talk on my favourite tracked vehicle thank you.

The Universal Carrier was the "jeep" of tanks!

These long videos are excellent. Some previous Tank Chats episodes were too short and left out so many details. Not to mention that I could listen to Mr. Fletcher talking about water tanks for hours and still be amazed. Thanks to the Tank Museum staff and David Fletcher MBE.

Like the way he ends his presentations - no fuss "thank you very much" Old School British Gent!

2 years ago i came into my class room and my techer introduced me to this great chanel but because of the blocker at that school many videos in the playlist were skipped making this my first tank chats video Since then i have learned so much and hope one day i will be able to go to Britian and see all the many museums including the tank museum hope to see you there

I’ve always loved these and kettenkrads, they’re so fun

As well as the UK and Canada. These were also built in Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

8 people are disappointed, that David Fletcher didn't list _all_ the purposes, the universal carrier was put to.

My Uncle CSM W.E. Bird RWR was KIA in one of these 25 Sept '44 near Calais. Bringing up ammo he was directing the driver where to go when he was shot by a sniper. There was a warning message sent to avoid the lanes near the orchard where the action was but sadly Uncle Bill didn't get the note. In a scene much like in Saving Private Ryan the sniper was caught and almost executed on the spot but was spared. Turned out he was a Lithuanian not a German and was kept as helper and servant before eventually being sent to the POW cages.

“If I listed them all I’d be here all day” . . . Well I’ve made a cup of tea, I’ve sat down I’m ready to hear the list please

Handy machine for the great men who manned them!

The Carden-Loyd Tankette, arguable the most sucessful tank design. No Joke. You have designs based of it from Great Britain to as far as Japan.

The only thing my Dad ever told me about his war experience (Essex Regiment, North Africa and Italy) was that these things were useless for anything beyond bringing up supplies!

During WW1 horses and mules were used in vast numbers to haul everything including artillery around, in the 20 year interval between the wars the use of equines in peacetime activities fell drastically and the British Army changed into a mechanized force (interestingly the majority of the German army did not become mechanised). The British used lorries (trucks) artillery tractors and these things which follow on from the use of some WW1 tanks as freight vehicles to support the rapid advances made possible by those tanks which were fitted with guns. Whilst as always in war men suffered at least the carnage suffered by horses in previous conflicts was greatly reduced since horses have been just too vulnerable in war once 'modern ' weapons were developed.

David fletcher thank you so much for dedicating your time to bring us these videos and thank you to all the others at the tank museum for keeping these vehicles alive greetings from Canada 😄

I've seen a few on farms in New Zealand back in my youth, I guess they were cheaper than a tractor after the war :)

The Boyes anti-tank rifle got a new lease of life among the Aussies at Tobruk. Useless as an anti-tank weapon, but with "a lot of stopping power" against infantry, according to my old man.

"Without an engine, the thing's absolutely useless." Why do I feel like l have been told off? What an absolute legend.

They look like they're really fun to drive.

A lot of these were used as farm utility vehicles in Canada after the war. You used to see them for sale occasionally into the 80's and 90's.

My grandfather in Canada after the war. Purchased a Bren gun carrier. I know a little difrent then the Universal. He cut all the armor off and turned it into a flat deck tracked vehicle to use for moose hunting. With a winch set up in the back to winch a moose on. And to be able to get into the swampy areas while hunting. He used it right up into the 70s. Always wonder what ever happened to it. I am sure most likely was scrapped sometime after he stopped using it.

A private group vehicle collection in northern Sweden has one that was used by a power company for maintenance in areas without roads.

I`ve called the "Bren Carrier" ever since I built the AIRFIX kit around 1970.

My Dad was in the Aussie 7th Div Cav Regt in WW2 and they had these things that were sent to Egypt and then grounded as not serviceable and required parts to be swapped to make them work ok when Japan entered the war they were recalled to Australia and after training for jungle fighting they were sent to Port Morsby in Papua New Guinea still with their carriers all grounded and once they arrived the carriers were all chained to some trees on the outskirts of Morsby and the Regt was sent to the north side of Papua New Guinea to a place called Sanananda Road where they fought as Infantry and when pulled out officially 9 months later the Regt consisted of less than 100 members all the rest had been KIA WIA or evacuated with serious illness and after that the unit was never sent as a whole into combat again and technically ceased to exist

We 50s kids had these as toys !

I see Fletcher's mustache I click. The tank discussion is just a bonus.

My Grandfather commanded a Universal Carrier in WW2. Glad to see it getting some love and a tank chat! It would probably make him happy to see it.

David Fletcher identifies as a universal carrier. The man's a cultural zeitgeist.

My grandfather drove one of these in the North West Europe campaign. He said the main cargo was usually bringing drinking water and rations forward. He was REME attached to the Highland Light Infantry.

Did the British tried to shoehorn a tea-maker in this thing?

You can't be sad watching videos with David talking in them. It's impossible! He always makes me laugh and smile :D

Canadian War Museum in Ottawa has a flamethrower version. (I think it was called Wasp)

very nice. and i could probably sit here all day listening to David Fletcher list all the variations of the Universal Carrier he knows of.

That moustache seems to have grown a David Fletcher!

I helped my Uncle restore one of these, they are a fun little vehicle.

I once drove that one when I worked at MVEE/FVRDE Chobham. Always wondered what happened to it.

I have some very fond memories of these great little vehicles. Firstly as a child at Steam Rallies where universal carries were used as paid rides around the fields. Later on in my youth & hitching home one cold fenland morning after a heavy night out & one of these pulled up. It was an amazing 20 mile drive & with my head in the breeze blew the evenings cobwebs away. An amazing experience & truly privileged to ride in one.

The Germans also used them, they even found some on the eastern front

My Father joined the Middlsex regiment in 1936 and started out on the Vickers machine gun, he used to talk about these, and was probably referring to the older vehicle, and probably left it on the beach in Dunkirk. on d day he was a bren gunner with the Middelsex , and was probably in one of these, he latter joined the Ox and Bucks, again as a bren gunner he finished up joining a company called T force, the ones that went behind enemy lines to capture various German scientist and other bits and pieces. He was demobbed in 1946. we are trying to trace his military history, love these clips keep em coming.

Would love to drive one of those to work each day, in summertime at least

I have a close friend with a mighty tache. I call it Fletcher. He has no idea what I’m talking about but the mustache understands I’m sure.

Um you forgetting New Zealand 🇳🇿. Over 1000 were built and we had never built anything like that

A excellent tank chat once again. What a brilliant little workhorse the universal carrier was . So good , even the Germans used captured carriers

There was no need for one big load bay. Everything that went on was supposed to be portable by two men once unloaded to bring it forward to the battle line.

Just 2 of these vehicles armed with Vickers.303 machine guns as well as Bren guns could give smaller infantry units withering fire support, but my favorite version is the wasp flamethrower vehicle, as dangerous for the crew as it was to the enemy seeing as it had a large fuel tank in the back of the vehicle, the Germans hated it.

“The American didn’t like them” The Government, the brass, or the men? Ignore the first two, the third group is all that matters. I bet they liked them.

Superb vehicle. A post Great war experimental tank had similar steering, the Johnston light infantry tank, snake tracks!

We didn’t like them because of the lack of machine guns. For sure you can get at least four .30 cals and two .50 cals mounted on it. 😀🇺🇸👍

"....your knees tend to get in the way." I love this guy.

At 2:35, did the driver forget to put it into park? Stops car, gets out of car, goes into the store, see car slowly roll past down the little hill, runs after car.

I'd like to add I DID get to sit in a Bren-Gun carrier at CFB Shilo when I was in the Army, it seemed to be built for a smaller world- I'm only 5 foot 11 and in the Army I was BARELY 160lb soaking wet but damn it was very difficult to get seated... and I could get into all the "supposed" tight fitting sports cars like Fiats and MGB's that were so popular back then (1980's).

05:55 "and also in Canada... wich is another country..." I thought he would let it stand like that. Like: "there are other countries than Great Britain, but there's no need to talk about them at all"

Who in the bloody hell would give a thumbs down to David Fletcher!?

I enjoy Mr. Fletcher's personality. There is no hyperbole necessary.

I love universal carriers. They look so useful but I didn't know they were fun to drive. I used to hate carrying ammunition boxes in the cadets. They seemed the heaviest most painful objects ever. Much better to have lots of these little beauties doing the heavy lifting.

Excellent battle taxis for going forward to OPs and doing suopply runs and the like without being vulnerable to pesky snipers.

Dad went through Sicily/Italy with RC Sigs. He always referred to it as a bren gun carrier. It was many years later that I heard the term universal carrier. Somehow carrier seems more appropriate that AFV: what could that 10mm stop?

Great post! Very informative. Thank you.

I think the Canadian army had the highest percentage of these, the Canadian 1st division in Italy used them to great advantage and yes we towed everything with them, they were a very light vehicle with a lot of power and huge drawbar potential, I drove one years ago and really you couldn't have more fun unless you took your clothes off